Red Faces and Beating Hearts
by Kuaishu
Summary: They clearly remember the first time the beating of their hearts and the lumps in their throats became less like butterflies, and more like rampaging platypus bears. Kataang ficlette. Rated for innuendo!


He clearly remembered the first time he felt the blood rush to his face and his heart start to dance to an uncontrollable beat. He remembered the first time his palms began to sweat, when the chest swelling adoration he had for her, an ultimate symbolism of friendship, became conjoined with a desire that he wasn't entirely sure what to do with. He remembered clearly how she had smelt when she had leaned down to kiss his forehead, and her hair had brushed against his bare shoulders and the scent of her slightly sweaty, sweet skin met him. He wasn't unfamiliar with the butterflies, the disbelief he felt almost every time that she kissed him that it was he that she had chosen to be with, and the need to kiss her back. But this warmth, and the lump in his throat, and the very real realisation of the position of his hands on the grass, as if he had never really considered them before, and how it suddenly felt inappropriate to reach up and touch her hair like he used to, was very new to him.

They had just finished a session of water bending training, their trip back from the Fire Nation to Yu Dao had been a long one on account of Appa feeling somewhat under the weather, and they had decided to set up camp for a few days by a beautiful stream, overlooked on each side by tall river birch. It was a beautiful summer, the sun was high in the sky, there was very little breeze, and the temperature made a dip in the stream ever more appealing that it had ever been. Stripping down to their undergarments the pair had hurried to the running water, Katara's sigh of relief as she put her foot in the cool stream turning into a yelp of surprise as Aang shot past her, taking a running jump and causing a huge wave of water to crash over her, and the shore. Soaked, her long brown locks stuck to her face, she threw him the darkest glare she could muster, whilst Aang grinned deviously at her as he floated languidly on his back. What had followed was a particularly brutal series of lessons, in which Katara proved to Aang that, Avatar though he may be, she remained a far superior waterbender. The water tightened itself around Aang's ankles one last time as he was dragged backwards under the water, and he had raised his hands in defeat, looking up to see her standing, hands on hips, a triumphant smirk across her face.

Aang now sat on the grass, still in his trunks, and leaning back on his elbows, enjoying the warmth of the sun above beating down on him. Katara remained in the water, doing a warm down routine that she had begun to develop in anticipation of her goals to teach others the art of waterbending, and he watched her contentedly. It had been just over three years since the war had ended, and they had shared their first kiss on the balcony of the Jasmine Dragon, and his love for her had only grown since then. Thinking back to that time, he had felt that there simply was no way that he could adore her more, but as the years touched their bodies and their minds, and they shared more triumphs with one another, he soon came to realise that there wasn't a single element of the woman standing before him that he didn't love with every beat of his heart. Even when they argued, which in itself was very rare, he'd be admiring the way her nose wrinkled as she frowned even as he backed away from her fury. But, though he began his sixteenth year, and she her eighteenth, their physical affections towards one another stopped at cuddling in the same bed as they slept. It wasn't that Aang didn't know that there was a step beyond what they had presently shared together, his body had changed over the past three years, his voice deepening, it was simply that for now those desires had yet to hit him. Katara had yet to make it clear to him that her needs had grown beyond cuddles and kisses, and so the pair remained happy in the closeness they already shared. However, the events of the week previous had certainly opened Aang's mind to a great many possibilities.

It had been a wedding that the entire world had yearned for, and one that the group of companions simply couldn't be more excited to be attending. After a difficult few years, Firelord Zuko and Mai had fallen back into one another's arms, much to the happiness of those that knew them, and their wedding had been announced to take place on the summer solstice, after Aang had spoken at great length to Zuko about how it signaled a start of a new season and, for the Fire Nation and the rest of the world, the start of a new rule. For the first time in some months, the old friends had found themselves together once more, awaiting the celebrations to come, and the joining of two of their family. The night before the wedding, the bride to be and her bridesmaids had gone off for their own celebrations, and Aang found himself sat in the throne room with Zuko and Sokka, his face aching from the amount he had already laughed and smiled that night, as they reminisced over the years they had shared together.

"Aww man," Sokka said, taking another sip of his drink and he looked up at the ceiling, eyes glazed. "I still remember those fireworks in Ba Sing Se, it was like ... the moment when it suddenly became real, you know? That the war was over."

"Yeh," Aang sighed. He took a sip of his own drink, having had politely declined Sokka's offer of the alcoholic beverages that he and Zuko were tipping down. As a result, he had seen Sokka and Zuko grow more and more giddy as the night went on, and the way Sokka seemed to sway slightly where he sat.

"That was a good night," Zuko agreed.

"Even if the fireworks did make Toph more violent than is usual," Sokka sniggered. Zuko barked with laughter, suddenly raising his hand and waving it erratically.

"Oh oh, speaking of mad! I'm surprised you didn't kill Aang that day."

"Truthfully, so am I," Aang added, as he started to fold one of the fabric napkins on the table in front of him, grinning to himself.

"Hey, there's still time," Sokka warned, his words slurring as he leaned forward, the drink in his glass dangerously close to tipping point. "Which reminds me, when are you planning to make an honest woman out of my sister?"

Surprised, Aang gaped, his face burning. Zuko laughed once more, grabbing the wine and filling up his glass once more.

"Don't embarrass him, Sokka," he said. "Aang and Katara are like the most sickeningly adorable couple there is, they'll tie the knot soon enough."

"Errr, thanks," Aang replied awkwardly, rubbing the back of his head. "Although I don't know why you guys keep saying that, we're not that sickeningly adorable."

"Oh please!" Sokka shook his head. "You made her a crown out of daisies yesterday! Daisies! And what was that you said this afternoon? _'Have fun, Sweetie, I miss you already_ '?" At that, Sokka gave in to the fit of giggles that had long been threatening to over power him, beating his fist as he practically cried into the table. Zuko rolled his eyes.

"Ignore him," he said, taking note of Aang's crimson face as he watched Sokka dissolve into hysterics. "Besides, you've not asked Suki to marry you yet, Sokka. When is that going to happen, eh?"

It was Aang's turn to smirk as Sokka stopped laughing, looking up with abject horror at Zuko's words.

"Man, Sparky, don't do that to me!" He wailed. "I will! Just ... when the thought doesn't terrify me quite so much." Zuko shrugged.

"I don't see how you guys can wait so long," he murmured. Sokka raised his eyebrow.

"To get married?"

"Well, yeh that. And other stuff," Zuko added, suddenly looking embarrassed. Aang and Sokka exchanged blank looks, before Sokka's eyes widened.

"Ohhhh, you mean ... you guys ... you haven't?" He asked. Aang looked, confused, between his two friends as Zuko's face began to burn and he coughed uncomfortably.

"Well, no," he replied awkwardly. "We were waiting until we got married. Wait, does that mean you and Suki have?"

"Only like a million times," Sokka said dismissively. It was then that Aang caught on to what they were going on about, and in his discomfort his began to fold his napkin again.

"Really?" Zuko looked at Sokka, surprised. "But why? Isn't that supposed to be something you wait for? Until you're married?"

"For you royal types, maybe," Sokka scoffed. "I love Suki, I don't have to wait until we're married to show her how much I love her."

There was a silence that followed his words, Zuko taking another quick drink as Aang cautiously looked between the pair. Having been so young when he had run away from the air nomads, he hadn't had anyone explain the birds and the bees to him, and until that point it hadn't seemed like an issue. But now, with the subject very much at hand, he couldn't evade the fact that he was curious.

"So, uh," Zuko squirmed, looking anywhere but Sokka. "Is it ... hard?"

At that Sokka spat the mouthful of drink he had across the table, tears of laughter falling down his face once more. "Aww man, well I mean it's not much use to her if it's not."

"That's not what I meant!" Zuko yelled, face flushed. "Forget I said anything," he glowered, crossing his hands angrily across his chest. Sokka wiped the drink from his chin, still snickering.

"Are we actually having this conversation?" He asked, leaning forwards.

"I said forget it!" Zuko snapped. Sokka looked across at Aang, leaning to the side and nudging him with his elbow, only to pause when he saw the blank look on the younger boys face.

"Wait ... Do you even know what we're talking about?" He asked. It was Aang's turn to flush.

"Of course I do!" Aang cried, before hesitating sheepishly. "Like, babies and things." Sokka blinked at him for a moment, incomprehension across his features, before his eyes flickered back to Zuko.

"Really you guys?" He asked. Aang and Zuko exchanged uncomfortable looks, and Sokka sighed.

"It's easy," he said, his ego almost visibly inflating as he realised he was the one who had proved himself to be the most manly at the table, certainly by his standards. "If you love her, and you're both into, it's easy."

Zuko rubbed his arm uncertainly.

"Just ... make sure you take it slow. Do other things first so you're both in the mood, she needs to be as relaxed as possible because the first time hurts for them, and-" he paused, looking round at Aang. "You know what? You can cover your damn ears I'm not giving you any hints!"

Ever since that night, Aang had been struggling not to think about whether he should take things further with Katara, whether she even wanted him to, or if he should just keep things as they were. And yet, despite the thoughts racing through his mind, he had yet to find himself paralysed with all the new feelings rushing through him. That was, until Katara stepped out the stream, scrunching her hair dismissively as she bent the water out of it, and walked towards him. His eyes followed her as she knelt beside him, leaning over his bare chest and reaching forward to kiss his forehead. Her hair tickled against his body, and his heart began to beat uncontrollable as the scent of her reached him, and his eyes found themselves level with the sweet, soft skin over her collarbone, unable to stop himself as they travelled down to the top of her woven bra, and then slowly down to where her bare thigh pressed against his waist. His ears were burning, and his entire body stiffened, eyes snapping immediately to the middle distance. Katara pulled away, looking down at him curiously.

"Aang, what's wrong?"

"Nothing!" Aang replied quickly, his voice breaking into a high squeak. Katara raised an eyebrow, leaning back onto her knees.

"Are you sure?"

"Oh yeh," Aang sat up straight, purposefully avoiding her gaze, as he swung his arms and twisted his waist, forcing the blood away from certain parts of his body. "All grand here, nothing weird or ... you know I should probably check Appa." He jumped to his feet, rushing past her, not seeing the confused look on Katara's face morph into a sudden wide eyes realisation. She was eighteen years old, and as she watched his ever broadening back hurrying away from her, she realised that maybe Aang had finally felt what she had a little under a year ago now. Her face beet red, she turned her gaze to the stream, unable to stop the small smile from playing across her lips.


End file.
